ARI-R2 - Repair and Renovation of the PARI Research and Education Infrastructure

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).

This award will permit the renovation of the Research Building of the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI). This facility is located in rural North Carolina at the former NASA Rosman Tracking site, which dates back to the 1960s. The renovation consists of several sub-projects, namely nonstructural repairs to a leaky roof, repairing the HVAC, repairing and renovating electrical generation equipment, renovating the fire alarm and equipment monitoring system, renovating the telecommunications system, and repairing the associated antenna structures for two 26-meter radio antennae.

PARI's mission is to provide research space for scientists, students, and non-professionals. Current research focuses on radio surveys of the Milky Way Galaxy, various projects in time-domain astrophysics, and studies of the wind speeds in the upper atmosphere of the Earth. The radio observations are conducted on-site using two 26-meter radio telescopes. The facility is host to a large and growing collection of astronomical glass plates, which are being digitized and cataloged for use in time-domain studies.

PARI provides research opportunities to university faculty and students, citizen scientists, and K-12 students. PARI is a member of the NSF supported North Carolina Math and Science Education Network and the North Carolina Alliance to Create Opportunity Through Education. Its location in rural North Carolina provides a unique opportunity for science research and education in an under-served part of the country.